Marine Sea high helicopters, avionics technician and communication navigation technician Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 263 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade USS Guam LPH-9
Desert Shield/Desert Storm 1985-1991
Mr. Kehler enlisted in his junior year of high school; he was 17 years old so his parents had to sign so he could enlist. He actually planned to go to college but his father was in the army in the Korean War. The military always interested him, and its something that he felt he was drawn to so he was torn between going to college and the Marines.
Marine Corps Basic training was 13 weeks at that time. "But I left in November which at the time seemed like a good time to go but not realizing that I wouldn’t be there for Thanksgiving or Christmas and you know it is tough to be away and you don’t get to go home you know, your there. For Thanksgiving you had the day off which meant you got to sit around the squad bay and iron our uniforms, polish our boots, and clean our weapons, and that kind of stuff, and write letters but other than that, there is 13 weeks of fun. Describing his feelings while overseas: " Well, mixed feelings. You are motivated; you are anxious to finally be doing something you are kind of, like I said, itching for a fight. They actually want to put their training to use but on the other hand you think about what could happen. You’re a little scared, a little concerned about. You just don’t know what is going to happen."
United States Marine Corps
Marine Sea high helicopters, avionics technician and communication navigation technician Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 263 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade USS Guam LPH-9
Desert Shield/Desert Storm 1985-1991
Mr. Kehler enlisted in his junior year of high school; he was 17 years old so his parents had to sign so he could enlist. He actually planned to go to college but his father was in the army in the Korean War. The military always interested him, and its something that he felt he was drawn to so he was torn between going to college and the Marines.
Marine Corps Basic training was 13 weeks at that time. "But I left in November which at the time seemed like a good time to go but not realizing that I wouldn’t be there for Thanksgiving or Christmas and you know it is tough to be away and you don’t get to go home you know, your there. For Thanksgiving you had the day off which meant you got to sit around the squad bay and iron our uniforms, polish our boots, and clean our weapons, and that kind of stuff, and write letters but other than that, there is 13 weeks of fun.
Describing his feelings while overseas: " Well, mixed feelings. You are motivated; you are anxious to finally be doing something you are kind of, like I said, itching for a fight. They actually want to put their training to use but on the other hand you think about what could happen. You’re a little scared, a little concerned about. You just don’t know what is going to happen."
Full transcript of interview with Mr.Kehler.